Illinois Senate Floor Debate — January 13, 2021

Thank you, Governor. Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate and guests, it has been our tradition in the Senate to begin each Session with an invocation from a member of the clergy invited from outside of the building. In light of the pandemic circumstances under which we have been legislating these past few days, we have suspended that practice and instead asked all Members and guests to observe a moment of silence for those who have been lost in this pandemic. And, Governor, I would ask us to observe that moment now. (Moment of silence observed)

(Pledge of Allegiance, led by Senator Bennett)

Thank you, Governor. Good afternoon, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate. I proudly rise today to nominate Don Harmon for Senate President. You may not know it to look at us, but we have a lot in common. In some ways, we're almost like twins. Despite the fact that I am a beautiful Black woman and Don is a balding redhead who always wears the same boring suits, our districts sit right next to each other. We both represent Austin and Oak Park. We 6  STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 1st Legislative Day 1/13/2021 both have spent most of our careers fighting for progressive issues. We both wanted to be Senate President. We're twinning. But, Don, if it couldn't be me, I'm certainly glad it's you. You have done a great job this past year in the midst of this awful pandemic. Don Harmon and I had a long relationship as legislative neighbors. He was elected to the Senate a few years after me. And, boy, was I so glad to see him! Before his election, my district was squooshed between two Republicans. Not that I don't have friends across the aisle, but my colleagues and I didn't have much in common. Now, I had a progressive, young - this was nearly twenty years ago after all - Senator in a neighboring district. Not only that, Don Harmon's election cycle helped launch the Democrat Party into the majority. There are not many people left in this Chamber to remember it, but for my first term, we were in the minority. He and the other freshmen legislators that year did a great job of helping move our Chamber and our Party - and what I still believe to this day - in the right direction. Knowing Don for so long, I've also watched him grow as a person. I've watched his journey through fatherhood and seeing what a loving parent he is and what a great husband he is to his lovely wife Teri. It's so difficult being away from home for this job, but Don has always made his family his top priority. In addition to being an impressive legislator, he's a wonderful father to some gorgeous girls and his son too. And I'm sure his children are so proud of him now that he's Senate President. I also believe that looking at legislation from a parent's perspective is good for our State. So I'm glad he bring {sic} that to his role as President. I also appreciate Don Harmon's position on the issues. Well, most issues. There are a few we've clashed on from time to time, but I dare not 7  STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 1st Legislative Day 1/13/2021 mention which ones. But I, from the bottom of my heart, thank him for being a part of what we witnessed in the Black Lives Matter movement. He was there from day one until this morning at 6:30. Seriously though, he supported me in my efforts to increase the minimum wage, and I've supported his efforts to make Illinois tax structure fairer. We've worked together to support women, minorities, LGBTQ rights, and more. We've worked together to protect consumers and take care of smaller concerns from our shared constituents. While I appreciate Don's progressive stance, I also know that he is a skilled negotiator who respects his opponent's position and who genuinely listens to people with different viewpoints. That's one of the reasons he's a good leader for our very big, diverse Democratic Caucus. I've known Don Harmon for a long time. I respect him as a neighbor, as a father, as a legislator, as a politician, but most of all, as a person and my friend. At times, we've been rivals, but through it all, we've always been friends. So, my friend, it's my honor to nominate you for Senate President. Thank you.

Thank you, Governor. I'm very proud to be able to stand up and second the nomination of Don Harmon as the next Senate President of the 102nd General Assembly of the Senate. There's really three characteristics you need to be a good leader. You must understand politics at all levels, because the -- the Senate President is involved in politics very much and -- at all levels. 8  STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 1st Legislative Day 1/13/2021 And he does understand that. He must understand the politics of the Senate and how we function and the politics of the caucus. We have a very diverse Democratic Caucus. He does that extremely well. He takes care. He understands. As Senators, we all know and care for the districts we represent. We know our constituents. But also, as Senators, we are his constituents and he has to take care of us and know us and have relationships with us. And he does. The second point is that he needs to have sound personal traits. He needs to have empathy. He needs to be a good listener. He needs to always seek to understand. This is where Don really shines. My memory of coming into this Chamber fourteen years ago as a freshman was to have Senator Don Harmon take me by the arm and say, "Here's what's going on. If you need some help, be sure to call on me." Very comforting. Third, must be trustworthy. Years ago, when I was working for the Labor Management Council in Peoria, we'd invited Dr. Stephen Covey in for a group of seminars, and I remember one thing he said about the issue of trust. He said, "If you want to learn how to" -- "how to build trust, what you do is you make a promise and you keep it." You make a promise and you keep it. Don makes a promise and he keeps it. His word is his bond. He understands all of our common interests and what binds us together and what makes us function as a Body, as a State Senate. Don Harmon has the skills and he's had -- certainly the last year has proven him to be a very able and a very good leader for the Senate. As so it's with pride that I'm happy to rise and to second the nomination of Don Harmon as the next President of the 102nd State Senate. Thank you.

Thank you, Governor and Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate. I proudly rise to second the nomination of Senate President Don Harmon as the Illinois Senate President for the 102nd General Assembly. 2020 was the year we are all still reeling from. The global pandemic tested us in unthinkable ways. Racial injustice came violently to the forefront. And the -- and the political sphere in Illinois became darker than any of us could have ever imagined. Enter Senate President Don Harmon. It may be one thing to step into a new role midterm; it's quite another to step into a new role midterm and then be faced with so many unforeseen hardships and challenges. It was a time that the Illinois Senate could have come completely disjointed. We could have become divided, individually isolated, and unable to function. But that was not the case. Under President Harmon's leadership, innovation and a prioritization of health and safety for all of us Senators and for all of those who work with us in the Capitol and in our district offices became paramount. Under his leadership, we became resilient. At a time when we were all so concerned about serving our constituents when they're leaning on us for help and guidance, Senate President Harmon led us with poise and confidence and helped our caucus and the entire Senate assist millions of Illinoisans during the turbulent time. He has and remains accessible to Members. He has demonstrated through this past year that he is extraordinarily well equipped to lead the Illinois Senate in this next General Assembly. Senate President Don Harmon's life experiences have been preparing him for this job for many, many 10  STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 1st Legislative Day 1/13/2021 years - through his successful law career and his years of public service in the Senate. But his ability to pivot, to lead nimbly through difficult and chaotic times comes from a mutual background that we share as alumni of Knox College, where we were both undergrads, though at separate times. Critical reasoning, challenging the status quo, progressive thinking, and exemplary communications - those are the hallmarks of this undergraduate institution. And I have seen these skills demonstrated by our Senate President in these past twelve months. There will be many challenges ahead, but Senate President Don Harmon has been tried, tested, and tempered in these past twelve months and is ready to lead us as an elected body of fifty-nine individuals, each with our own priorities, commitments, and value system. I believe his leadership is precisely what Illinois needs at this time and I proudly second the nomination for President Harmon to serve as the Illinois Senate President for the 102nd General Assembly.

Thank you, Governor. I rise today to second the nomination of Senator Don Harmon for President of the Illinois Senate. For those that don't know, I am the youngest Member of this -- of this Chamber. But although my youth, I -- I do know a little bit of its history. For instance, the legacy of the district that I represent, it is significant: It is the first district to be represented by a Latino in this State. But that was after a long fight to ensure that districts' minority representation reflected 11  STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 1st Legislative Day 1/13/2021 communities that lacked representation in this Capitol. Decades later, I would have the opportunity and the blessing to join this Body and three others -- three other Latinx Members in the Senate. I share this because I want to provide context to our incoming class. We now have newly elected and newly sworn in Senator Karina Villa, for instance, who will now be our sixth Latinx/Latina/Latino Member of the Illinois Senate. And as a Latino myself, this representation of our community in this Chamber is important to me. We bring our perspective to this Chamber. We bring hopes to -- to -- to represent our communities and to better serve all of Illinoisans. I say this to say that Don Harmon keeps promises. Don Harmon kept a promise that he didn't initially make. A promise not only to then-Representative Karina Villa, but a promise to the Latino community, a promise to the residents of the 25th District, to West Chicago, and to the entire State. That promise was best exemplified on a very cold and windy Sunday prior to the election in November, where I was proud to say that we had over a dozen members of our caucus go and knock on doors for this -- this candidate. It is significant because for the first time we were having a Latino or Latina represent an area that truly wasn't designed to -- to have representation maybe that looked like us, but that did not keep Don Harmon from providing that support in many ways. I will end by saying Don Harmon delivers. Don Harmon keeps promises. And for that reason, I proudly stand to second the nomination of Senator Don Harmon for President of the Illinois Senate. Thank you.

I thank you, Governor. Members and esteemed guests that are here today, it is my pleasure and my honor to rise to second the nomination and in support of President Don Harmon's continued tenure as leader of our Chamber in the 102nd General Assembly. As it's been noted today, we've been a -- through a lot this past year - the global pandemic combined with the chaotic and divisive politics and the issues that our economy is facing. There's a lot that we need to heal in the days to come and I have no doubt that Don will lead us successfully. There are a lot of people, businesses, and communities that need our help, and I believe that it is Don Harmon's guidance that will bring the help to the people who are most deserving. I put my trust in Don Harmon a year ago and I stand here today ready to do the same, and I ask you Members to join me. I am relatively new here and I'm somewhat unique in that I'm a downstate Democrat. I appreciate Don's commitment to the entire State of Illinois and always supporting our needs in downstate. The better part of Illinois exists in the distance between the areas that President Harmon and I represent. Our geography may not be the same, but we work towards the same goal - a stronger, more just, and a more united Illinois. We share the commitment to working men and women and their ability to organize to champion their rights in the work place. We know that it's our small businesses that make our communities great and our local economies strong. Regardless of party, our decision today will help shape the future of this Chamber and of our State at a time when political division distracts from what really matters. I believe President Harmon will continue to lead as he has done - 13  STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 1st Legislative Day 1/13/2021 with integrity, discipline, and accountability. And that is why I rise to second his nomination, and I strongly urge my colleagues here today to support Don Harmon as President of the Illinois Senate. Thank you.

Governor and Members of the Senate, I move that nominations for the Office of President of the Illinois State Senate for the 102nd General Assembly be closed.

I, Don Harmon,

Do solemnly swear

That I will support the Constitution of the United States

And the Constitution of the State of Illinois

And that I will faithfully discharge the duties

22  STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 1st Legislative Day 1/13/2021 Of the Office of President of the Senate

To the best of my ability.

Thank you, Senator.

Good afternoon. Governor Pritzker, thank you for once again presiding over the Illinois Senate. We are 0 for 2. But maybe, just maybe, one of these years we'll have a somewhat normal swearing-in ceremony. At least we avoided your birthday this year. So, on behalf of the Senate, an early happy birthday to you in advance. Last year we did this on two hours' notice. This year we're doing it on two hours' sleep. And welcome back to the Chamber, Senator Mulroe. I know your friends in robes call you "Judge", but once a Senator, always a Senator. And I can't tell you how many people were excited to have you come back to the Chamber today. Thank you for making the effort. We have a few other Senate family friends here or watching. My esteemed predecessor, former Senate President John Cullerton. Thanks for being with us today, John. Our former colleague turned Illinois Attorney General, Kwame Raoul. My good friend, thank you for being here with us. Our former Senator, now Illinois Treasurer, Mike Frerichs also sends his regards from a socially distanced place. 23  STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 1st Legislative Day 1/13/2021 I'd like to take a moment and recognize my family. My remarkable wife, Teri. I could not do this without your endless support. And our three amazing children: Don, Frances, and Maggie. Sheltering in place with them, and being around these young adults and burgeoning social justice warriors, opened my eyes and taught me so much this past year. We attended Black Lives Matter rallies. We worked community cleanups. We talked late into the evening, and they informed me of all the things I was saying that were "not woke". You make me a very proud father, a better human being, and give me tremendous hope for our future. Thank you, Leader Lightford, for that nominating speech. I am honored to have your support. I got to admit, I never in my life, believe it or not, have been compared to a beautiful Black woman. But thank you for the wake-up after a long Session night. Thank you, Senators Koehler, Morrison, Aquino, and Crowe, for your very kind words. I'm grateful for your support. As President of the Illinois Senate, I would like to congratulate my fifty-eight colleagues and welcome you to the 102nd Session of the Illinois General Assembly. For those of you who are new - welcome aboard. We are a Chamber committed to the philosophy that in a democracy there is nothing more powerful or heroic than an idea. We were sent here to solve problems. We were sent here to work together. So, if your goal is to stoke anger in hopes of burning this place down, I've got bad news. You will fail. You simply have no idea how much asbestos runs through the veins of this building. For those returning Members, I applaud the commitment you've shown to this Chamber, to your constituents, and to the work that needs to be done. The pandemic may limit our social gathering, but it can't stop the Senate from working together. I can sum it up in one word: Zoom. 24  STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 1st Legislative Day 1/13/2021 A year ago, it was a stranger. Now, it's like we've been married thirty years. I'm already missing the ability to turn off my camera or mute people. The remote meeting rule we adopted last year gave us the opportunity to keep working together. In the wake of the George Floyd murder, that rule produced the forum for exploring changes. I want to thank our colleagues in the Legislative Black Caucus for taking a stand against systemic racism and extending an invitation to all of us to join them as partners. I want to thank the Latino Caucus for similarly helping us understand the problems and be part of finding solutions. Thirty- two. Thirty-two. That's how many Zoom hearings the Senate held, not just to discuss and educate people on institutional racism and systemic problems people of color face, but also to build consensus on how to address them. Thirty-two hearings that - thanks to the online format - attracted an audience from across this State. As much as I hate this pandemic, this has been an unexpected positive. The online process meant that a civil rights advocate in Rockford could log on rather than have to drive all the way to the Capitol to see her government work on an issue she cares about deeply. This series of remote hearings is arguably the greatest expansion of public involvement in our legislative process in recent history. I want to take a moment to recognize one person in particular, whose devotion to this cause kept people going, kept knocking down walls, and will keep pushing for results. That person is my legislative neighbor, our Majority Leader Kimberly A. Lightford. Leader Lightford, thank you. Thank you for all that you have done and all that you will do. The fight continues. There is more to do this Session, and I promise, we will do more. A new Session means a new start. The campaign Senator Morrison led so diligently 25  STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 1st Legislative Day 1/13/2021 to protect people from gun violence will continue. So, too, will Senator Martwick's crusade for an elected Chicago school board. I look forward to adding those issues - and many more - to our list of accomplishments in this 102nd General Assembly. Leader McConchie, congratulations on your new leadership role. I look forward to working with you and your caucus. As you know, we are overdue in delivering bipartisan ethics reform to the people of Illinois. I believe both of us are disturbed every time a legislator leaves the building on Friday and returns a special interest lobbyist on Monday. Let's work together to get a meaningful reform package approved, one that offers real solutions to the real problems that have embarrassed State government. But we need to do more than that. As we head into 2021, I believe that there are two main things the people of Illinois want from us: jobs and justice. We need to foster an environment that keeps and creates jobs. Good jobs. Good-paying jobs. The kind of good- paying jobs where two working parents can afford to send their child to a State university without all of them sinking desperately into debt. As for justice, at its core, it's about fundamental fairness and a square deal. It's about making sure people aren't forgotten by our economy, or caught up in the cogs of the system to be lost forever. Every day in this State too many people wake up feeling like the deck has been stacked against them. I see it in Galesburg, where I spent my college years and where I'm a Knox College trustee. I know what those union jobs at the Maytag plant meant to that community, and the palpable sense of abandonment when the company left town to save a buck. I see it not far from my Oak Park home, when I drive the district I'm honored to represent. Crossing over Austin Boulevard into the City, I pass 26  STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 1st Legislative Day 1/13/2021 boarded storefronts and stalled developments, the ones that were supposed to finally lure suburbanites across the mythical dividing line and into the City - but so far haven't. Across this State, proud communities filled with proud people are left to wonder why they've been left behind. Whether these are our people, in our towns, in our district, doesn't really matter. Because this is our State. We had a colleague here who captured this country's imagination with a compassionate challenge to care about something greater than ourselves. It is my fundamental belief - I am my brother's keeper, I am my sister's keeper - that makes this country work. It's what allows us to pursue our individual dreams and yet still come together as one American family. It's been nearly seventeen years since State Senator Barack Obama gave that stirring speech. Today, in this Chamber, with a new Session, the Illinois Senate has an unprecedented opportunity to lead the transformation of our State. I look forward to the work we will do, and I trust we are all up to the challenge. In closing, I want to take a moment to speak to the disturbing trends we have experienced in our politics. We watched in horror last week as a mob hijacked the U.S. Capitol. That night, after the Capitol was reclaimed, the U.S. House and Senate resumed their constitutional duties. They confirmed the Electoral College results and Joe Biden as the President-elect of the United States of America. There were numerous speeches. Many were moving - powerful commentary - about our nation. I'd like to share one small, simple line from Republican Senator Ben Sasse. "You can't do big things if you hate your neighbor." "You can't do big things if you hate your neighbor." This Chamber consists of fifty-nine very different people from fifty-nine very different districts. Those 27  STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 1st Legislative Day 1/13/2021 differences should be celebrated and utilized to produce better results, not used as an excuse to divide us. Answers to the problems we face won't be easy. But complaining isn't a plan. And blaming isn't a solution. I vow to do my part to help bridge divides and change the tone of our politics. I hope you will all do the same. And now, if I may quote from the tragically underrated '80s band The Call - "Let the day begin". God bless you all and thank you very much. The next order of business is the election of a Minority Leader of the Senate. Senator Syverson.

Senator Syverson requests unanimous consent on behalf of the Republican Members of the Senate to declare Senator Dan McConchie the Minority Leader of the Senate for the 102nd General Assembly. Is leave granted? Seeing no objection, leave is granted. Senator Dan McConchie is declared Minority Leader. Congratulations, Senator. The Chair recognizes Senator Dan McConchie. SENATOR McCONCHIE: Thank you, Mr. President. It is truly an honor, and I am humbled by the kind words of my colleagues who put my name into nomination today. I want to thank particularly Senator Rezin for having -- we -- we've worked so well together, really, over the past weeks, months, and years. We have gotten to be very close friends and I really appreciate her partnership as we work together as a caucus and as a leadership team to begin to move ahead. I 28  STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 1st Legislative Day 1/13/2021 also want to thank Senator Barickman and Senator Tracy who have been indelible allies, really, with our -- within our caucus in helping us move ahead. And I -- I would be remiss if I did not also thank my lovely wife Milena and my two daughters for their unending support and being able to allow me the freedom to come down here and participate. You know, our families are so important in this process. If our families are not behind us, we simply cannot do this job with the level of diligence and the level of quality, if you will, that is necessary for us to represent our constituents and this State. I am proud to accept this office and I promise to do my best every day to deserve the confidence and the trust that my caucus has placed in me. I originally ran for office, and now for this leadership position, for the same reasons that I think we all have entered public service - we want to make our communities, our State, a better place for the people we love to live. This is a commitment to our home - to our State - that is our common equalizer here on this Senate Floor. It has been easy to forget this common ground over the last few years when personal offense has been made a sport and our politics and personalities have become so divisive. I believe that the light bearers of our past would not recognize our political system today. The tendency of some to resort to violence to solve democratic differences vividly illustrates that what America needs most right now is reunification around the principles and values that have made our nation the leader of the free world. Unlike my brave wife, Milena, who was born and raised in communist Bulgaria where her parents had to whisper political jokes inside their own home out of fear of the state, we in America should never have to worry or fear about an oppressive or retaliatory government. We also 29  STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 1st Legislative Day 1/13/2021 should never have to live in fear of our neighbors. And as legislators, we should never fear the discourse of -- of disagreement on issues that matter. To continually reach that goal, we must work together - all of us. The instinct and ambition to tear down has crowded out the goal of building up, which has dominated our democratic process for over two hundred years. As the Minority Leader, I will work to do my part with every willing Member of this General Assembly to help us change course as a society. We are here because we have been chosen to lead our communities. We were chosen by people who know us, people who come from where we live and who want us to lead our State in a more profitable direction. A democracy works best when all interested parties are at the governing table, and it is at that table where the best ideas are formulated together into public policy that actually improves our society. We need to feel that we have the respect of our colleagues so that we can freely engage in thoughtful discussion to get us there. We require checks and balances and the discourse that comes from the -- our multi-party system to continue to be a strong and free nation and a strong and free State. It is my goal to assist in reunifying the people of this State by helping turn discussion away from offenses and toward a competition of ideas toward a better Illinois - ideas like economic freedom, opportunity for all, and allowing citizens the room to use their creativity to pursue the American dream no matter what their circumstance or station. As someone who has a significant disability, I understand -- adversity. My experience in the infantry taught me my personal life motto, which is adapt and overcome. It is this experience that has motivated me to champion legislation to fight for disability rights because it 30  STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 1st Legislative Day 1/13/2021 matters to me that individuals, children growing up in a chair are not limited in their aspirations or outcomes. It is my hope that we will all continue to use our individual experiences, backgrounds, challenges, and beliefs to better engage one another in this noble work that we do here. It is not about having and maintaining power for its own ends, which I believe has happened too much lately and that we've seen a little too close to home. It's about leaving our communities and this State a little better than we found it. Well, really, heck, a -- a lot better than we found it! And while we should never abandon our values, our beliefs, or advocacy, we must stop perceiving the opposition on a policy issue, those individuals, as our enemy. While we may fundamentally disagree at times on matters of important public policy, I vow not to be disagreeable. We should always be willing to talk about issues that matter in a productive way. There is some out there who might take this as a -- this invitation to work collaboratively as a sign of weakness. But I assure you that it is not. I've had to overcome many obstacles to get to this point today and I have set my sights on overcoming many more that will come before me and before us together ahead. But, through it all, I believe it's how we treat each other that matters most. I want to work with the whole Chamber to help restore respect, civility, put that back into our politics, because I believe now, more than ever, it is our duty to be an example to the people that we serve. And to do this, I ask you to join me in the quest -- this quest to improve our system, because I believe it'll help improve society as a whole. Let's build our relationships together across the aisle so we can work productively to build that better tomorrow. So thank you for this honor today, and I look forward to working 31  STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 1st Legislative Day 1/13/2021 together in that manner to help improve this State we all love so very much. I look forward to working with you, President Harmon. Thank you.

Thank you, Senator McConchie. I look forward to working with you as well. Leader Lightford, would you come forward to escort the Governor from the Chamber? It is the intention of the Chair to begin organizing the Senate of the 102nd General Assembly. Mr. Secretary, Communications.

32  STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 1st Legislative Day 1/13/2021 Mr. Secretary, Resolutions.

The Senate will stand at ease for a moment to allow the Committee on Assignments to meet immediately in the well of the Senate. The Senate will stand at ease. (at ease) Mr. Secretary, Committee Reports.

The first Senate Calendar of the 102nd General Assembly has been printed and distributed to Members' desks. On that order is the Order of Secretary {sic} Desk, Resolution. At the top of that Order is Senate Resolution No. 1. Senator Manar. Mr. Secretary, please read the motion.

Senator Manar, on your motion.

Thank you, Mr. President. Senate Resolution 1 begins our formal organization process. I'm honored to bring this before the 33  STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 1st Legislative Day 1/13/2021 Senate as my final piece of legislation. It simply elects the officers for the 102nd General Assembly: Tim Anderson as the elected Secretary of the Senate; Scott Kaiser is the elected Assistant Secretary of the Senate; Joe Dominguez is the elected Sergeant-at-Arms; and Dirk Eilers is the elected Assistant Sergeant-at-Arms. And not to prolong this, but I -- I know that I represent the Body in saying that we appreciate the work of each of these individuals and their respective staffs. And I'm proud to present this resolution for its adoption.

Thank you, Senator Manar. Senator Manar has moved for the adoption of Senate Resolution No. 1. Is there any discussion? Senator McConchie, are… Senator McConchie. SENATOR McCONCHIE: Thank you, Mr. President. I would just like to echo Senator Manar's comments in regards to these individuals. They serve our Body extremely well. We are in good hands with them. And also, to be able to say congratulations to Senator Manar in his next posting. So, thank you.

There any further discussion? If not, the question is, shall the Senate… If not, then the question is, shall the Senate adopt Senate Resolution No. 1. This will require a roll call vote, sadly. All those in favor will signify by voting Aye. Those opposed, Nay. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? We will call Members to the Floor for voting in groups of ten. If we move to the next group of Senators and you have not yet voted, you may still come to the Floor until voting is closed. Senators Peters, Fine, Koehler, Sims, Gillespie, 34  STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 1st Legislative Day 1/13/2021 Belt, Collins, and Van Pelt. Senators Harris, Loughran Cappel, Ellman, Crowe, Bennett, Landek. Senators Anderson, Rose, Rezin, Bailey, McClure, Plummer, Stewart. Senators Van Pelt, Loughran Cappel, Stewart, Plummer, McClure, Bailey, Rezin, Anderson. Senators McClure, Rezin, Van Pelt. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Take the record. On that question, there are 57 Ayes, none voting No, none voting Present. Senate Resolution No. 1, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared adopted. On the Order of Resolutions is Senate Resolution No. 2. Mr. Secretary, please read the resolution.

Senator Lightford, on the resolution.

Thank you, Mr. President. Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate, if I could just first, before I explain our new rules, just thank you all from the bottom of my heart, and I know I'm speaking on behalf of the entire Legislative Black Caucus, for all the time and effort you put in. We camped out last night. I really appreciate it. We all do. And I did not want another time moment to go by without telling you thank you so very much and thank you all for your support. So Senate Resolution No. 2 establishes the Rules for the Senate of the 102nd General Assembly. The substantive changes are - there are seven listed: The first changes the term "death resolution" to "celebration of life resolution"; number two, allows the President to promulgate forms for Members disclosing conflicts; number three, allows the President, by letter, to establish special subcommittees for 35  STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 1st Legislative Day 1/13/2021 Appropriations and Redistricting. The idea here is that the special subcommittees can concentrate on specific areas of the budget and State. Number four, it changes the standing committee lineup of the Senate. Number five, it clarifies that the Committee on Assignments may assign a legislative measure to multiple committees. The idea behind this is that a legislative measure affects multiple jurisdiction areas. Those measures can be sent to those committees. Number six, it clarifies that a second to a motion is not required in a committee. And lastly, it allows other committee members of the same party to carry bills in committee for a sponsor who is absent. I happy be -- I'm happy -- I'll be happy to answer questions.

Thank you, Leader. Is there any discussion? Senator McConchie, for what purpose do you seek recognition? SENATOR McCONCHIE: To the resolution, Mr. President.

To the resolution, Senator. SENATOR McCONCHIE: Thank you for that explanation. One of the things that we believe over here on this side of the aisle is that there are more improvements that could be made to these rules that would allow for a more robust democratic process that would actually -- even better reflect the best practices in many states across the country - blue states, red states - that actually help empower individual Members and ensure that good ideas cannot be bottled up by individual committee chairmen or leaders and such. Some of the ideas that we have and which will -- are currently being filed, 36  STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 1st Legislative Day 1/13/2021 including requiring all bills to be assigned to committee, establishing a mechanism to require committee hearings, providing for minority committee reports, establishing guidelines for how assignments of bill to committee will establish, and importantly, especially in the current environment, is adding an investigative committee, similar to that which exists in the House, in order to ensure we can appropriately handle unethical conduct by Members when it comes to light. So, as a result, I will be voting No in regards to this, in hopes that we will be able to further negotiate on these going forward and amend these to be able to bring ourselves into line with best practices in state chambers around the country. Thank you, Mr. President.

Thank you, Leader. Is there any further discussion? Seeing none, Senator Lightford, do you wish to close?

Ask for an Aye vote.

Senator Lightford has moved for the adoption of Senate Resolution No. 2. All those in favor will signify by voting Aye. Those opposed, Nay. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Senators Koehler, Sims, Van Pelt. Have all voted who wish? Take the record. On that question, there are 39 voting Aye, 17 voting No, none voting Present. And Senate Resolution No. 2, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared adopted. The Senate is now operating under the Rules of the Senate of the 102nd General Assembly. Mr. Secretary, Communications.

Mr. Secretary, Resolutions.

The Senate will stand at ease for a few moments to allow the Committee on Assignments to meet immediately in the well of the 38  STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 1st Legislative Day 1/13/2021 Senate. The Senate will stand at ease. If all members of the Committee on Assignments would report to the well. (at ease) Mr. Secretary, Committee Reports.

Supplemental Calendar No. 1 has been printed and distributed. For the Members' benefit, there are two organizing resolutions and a retirement resolution on our Supplemental Calendar. We intend to take all three of those up today. Let's begin with the -- Senate Resolution No. 3. Mr. Secretary, please read the resolution.

Senator Cunningham, on your resolution.

Thank you, Mr. President. Senate Resolution 3 resolves that the Secretary inform the House of Representatives that the Senate has organized by the election of a President and other permanent officers and is ready to proceed with business of Session. I move for its adoption.

Senator Cunningham has moved the adoption of Senate Resolution No. 3. Is there any discussion? Seeing none, the 39  STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 1st Legislative Day 1/13/2021 question is, shall the Senate adopt Senate Resolution No. 3. All those in favor will say Aye. Opposed, Nay. The Ayes have it, and the resolution is adopted. Now on the Order of Resolutions is Senate Resolution No. 4. Mr. Secretary, please read the resolution.

Senator Hunter, on your resolution.

Thank you very much, Mr. President. Senate Resolution 4 resolves that the Secretary shall prepare each day an exact transcript of the Journal and furnish it to the Legislative Printing Unit, which shall print copies of the Journal.

Senator Hunter has moved for the adoption of Senate Resolution No. 4. Is there any discussion? If not, the question is, shall the Senate adopt Senate Resolution No. 4. All those in favor will signify by saying Aye. Opposed, Nay. The Ayes have it. The resolution is adopted. Leader Lightford in the Chair.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate, on Senate Resolution No. 5, please turn your attention. Senator -- President Harmon. Mr. Secretary, please read the resolution.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) President Harmon, to your resolution. 40  STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 1st Legislative Day 1/13/2021

Thank you, Madam President. Senator Manar, I'm heartbroken that we're doing this resolution at all, but I'm very glad that we are able to do it today while you are here in the Chamber to be celebrated. I'm also very grateful for your graciousness in understanding we got our wires crossed and for your ever-present attention to the institution and your concerns that our retirement resolutions may have delayed our inauguration. Andy Manar, you are synonymous with the State Senate. You have been here longer than I think every Member of our caucus, whether on staff or as a Member. Perhaps only Senator Syverson was here when you arrived as a -- as a young staffer. Your career from -- from staff to Member and leader of our appropriation process is one of those remarkable, admirable arcs that every member of our staff should look to as a -- a role model. Your mentor, Vince Demuzio, was very close to my mentor, Phil Rock, and Vince could not have been kinder to me when I arrived. His mentorship of you is obvious, and Vince would be incredibly proud of you for all that you have accomplished and all that you have yet to accomplish. The only upside of our kerfuffle is that we are actually passing your retirement resolution in the 102nd General Assembly, of which you are a Member, and we fully recognize your continued service. As the resolution said, this is the Senate's loss, but the Governor's gain - perhaps the biggest gain the Governor could have. And we are grateful for your continued partnership and we look forward to working with you in your new role as a partner. Once a Senator, always a Senator. Andy, you've been my friend since we met, and through all the twists and turns, I am most grateful, as I told you before, that our friendship today is as strong as it has ever 41  STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 1st Legislative Day 1/13/2021 been. Godspeed, my friend. We will look forward to working with you in your new role.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Thank you, Mr. President. Is there any discussion? Senator Bennett, for what purpose do you rise?

…resolution.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) To the resolution, Senator.

Thank you, Madam President. There was a time when I never commented on these, and now I realize it's a sign of how long you've been here when you realize, boy, I've got a lot of experience with the people that are retiring so I should say a word or two. The fact is, I came in in 2015, and at that point, knowing that I knew very little, the leadership asked me - oh, I should say it differently - asked Senator Manar if he would be my -- my seatmate and teach me a few things. I tried not to annoy him too much sitting next to him, but it was a real education. He was in the middle of his K-12 or -- or P-12 school funding reform, and I watched as Member after Member on both sides of the aisle came to the desk, ask him, "Hey, here's what my superintendent's saying. Can you come to my district?" You know, really the -- the fine details of the bill. And I always was impressed by his graciousness to answer them no matter if he was preparing for his own bill to -- to -- to present or whatever else he had going on. He always took the time, and it was clear he wanted to make sure that other Members of the -- the Body felt comfortable with the bill that was going to affect their schools. I then invited Andy 42  STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 1st Legislative Day 1/13/2021 to my district on many of his landmark legislative bills. I think he came on two occasions to speak to my school boards and superintendents. He came to speak to U of I, I know, on -- on his voter registration bill and talk about the importance of -- of registering to vote. And just recently, and maybe the last in- person town hall that we've had in the State of Illinois, on -- on pharmaceutical drugs, where we had a lot of people in person and right before I think we knew the full depth of the pandemic, where we had pharmacists and -- and -- and other advocates talking about his landmark insulin price-capping bill as well as a whole litany of bills that we need to address to make sure that people don't have to choose between their necessities and the rest of their life and their pharmaceutical drugs. There was a point when I started to think Andy was establishing residency in my district, which scared me a lot. You would not want to run against Andy in any capacity. But, in part, it's because he is just a very fine Senator, and I've said this on your Facebook page and I -- I truly mean it. It's not always easy to be a downstate Senator. You have a lot of conflicting view -- probably not easy to be one in any part of the State, right? But, in particular, we have less media. It's hard to -- to get your message out. It's hard to get to all the towns that make up your district over many counties. I watched him do it. I watched Andy just outwork everybody around him in the sense that people feel and they know, even if they don't agree with him on every vote, they're heard. He takes the time. And he -- I think it was one of the first things you ever said to me, was "Your district doesn't have to agree with you on everything, but they got to know what you're thinking. So you got to get out there and make sure that you're being receptive to them, 43  STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 1st Legislative Day 1/13/2021 but you also have to get out and explain your votes after you make 'em so they know this wasn't half thought out." Nothing Andy does is half thought out. I mean he's the human counter -- counter argument to the argument we hear sometimes that "nobody's going to know everything in a thousand-page budget". Andy does. He does. He knows everything in every line and he works very hard to make sure that he's representing his district and -- and the State on a lot of issues. So I won't go on. I know others want to speak. But I -- I've been honored to work with you, Andy. I appreciate the example you've set - not just for downstate legislators, but all Senators. And with a little bit of regional pride, I'm very happy to hear that we have an advocate for downstate, and for the Senate, in the Governor's office in the future. Good luck.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Thank you, Senator. Further discussion? There's a awful lot of lights, and I just can't remember which ones were first and second. So I'm going to go with Senator Hunter. For what purpose do you rise?

Thank you, Madam President. To the resolution.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) To the resolution, Senator.

Andy Manar, you were on staff when I came down as a -- as a freshman, and you had so much knowledge and -- and so much energy and you were so helpful. And I remember - I -- I've always been up on the sixth floor - and I remember Andy used to bring his little girl to work with him all the time. And her name was Abbie, and she used to hang out in Don Harmon's office all the time. I 44  STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 1st Legislative Day 1/13/2021 remember she was such a little girl that when it was time for her to -- to fall asleep or rest, she would -- they would make a pallet on the floor and she'd just fall asleep - until she saw Barack Obama on television, and all of a sudden I heard a little girl scream, "Barack Obama. Barack. Barack Obama." She's crying and crying. I said, "Andy, what did you do to this child?" But that's how she reacted to Barack Obama, but it also showed me how much of a tender loving father Andy really, really was. It's -- it's been a long time that I'd seen a -- a young father spend so much time and patience with -- with a -- a child, especially a young girl, you know. And, Andy, I watched you become a -- the Chief of Staff here and I've seen nothing but leadership qualities in you. I -- I worked with you in your district on a number of projects in the Black community between Decatur -- Andy had me running back and forth to Decatur with him for a while, and here in Springfield as well. And I'm going to really, really miss you, but I know I can just find you right there on the second floor. You won't be too far away. So I look forward to the next -- to working with you in your next chapter of your -- on the next chapter of your life and I just wish you well and -- and Godspeed. And to your family for -- and thank your family for allowing you to spend so much time with us over here in this building, 'cause I know it wasn't -- I know it wasn't easy and all. So thank you very much. Thank you. Good luck.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Thank you, Senator. Senator McClure, for what purpose do you rise? SENATOR McCLURE: To the resolution, Madam President. 45  STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 1st Legislative Day 1/13/2021

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) To the resolution, Senator. SENATOR McCLURE: Well, it's kind of weird, Andy, because at this moment you and I are the only two Senators that represent Springfield, which that hasn't happened for, I think, quite some time. And, you know, as far as the two Senators that are in this building the most as -- over the course of a year, it's -- I think it's you and me, since this is -- my main office is in -- in the Capitol. I know you -- if it's not your main one, it's close to your main one. But I've really enjoyed working with you, and -- and one of the things that I enjoy about you, Andy, is the fact that you're able to have intelligent, sometimes very passionate, discussions about the issues, but it's never personal. And I hadn't debated in a long time and you and I debated, what, a few months ago. And despite all this chaos with everything that's going on nationally and -- and -- and all kinds of nasty words on both sides, I mean, we -- we gave the -- I -- I believe we gave the people an intelligent discussion that was truthful on both sides and it allowed for people to make up their minds about what they were going to do. And -- and that's what we should be doing more of. And I thank you for that, first of all, and I thank you for all that you've done for -- you know, we share several counties as well. I mean, all that -- all that you've done for the counties that -- that you represent and that we -- we share, you know, I thank you for all the hard work that you've done. And I thank you for those -- in those areas that we could work together on stuff. And so, it's been great and, you know, hopefully we see each other a lot. I'll miss you on these Zoom meetings with mayors and things 46  STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 1st Legislative Day 1/13/2021 of that nature. But, you know, thanks for all that you've done for our State, Andy, and I -- I -- I hope I see you around soon.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Thank you, Senator. Senator Morrison, for what purpose do you rise?

To the resolution.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) To the resolution, Senator.

I won't even begin to try to describe the width and breadth of what Andy knows, what he has done. I just want to share my personal story -- of Andy, which is we were elected and came in at the same time, with a big class. So as we were assigned seats on the Floor, I sat next to Andy. When we had offices, I was with Andy. We even parked next to each other. So, for two years, Andy could not get away from me. And it was like being a "Jeopardy!" contestant, playing "I'll have State Government for a 1,000", and having Alex Trebek stand behind you and tell you all the answers. It was the best learning experience. And I'm so grateful that I got a chance to meet you early in our legislative careers. I know you have so many wonderful things ahead of you. We're going to really miss you. But thank you for everything you have done for me and for the Senate.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Thank you, Senator. Senator Harris, for what purpose do you rise?

To the resolution, Madam President. 47  STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 1st Legislative Day 1/13/2021

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) To the resolution, Senator.

There is so much I can say about, Andy. I was -- jokingly, I was just talking with Senator Karina and we was talking about what -- what Senator Morrison was just saying about how she would sit next to Andy and park next to Andy. I said, "We must be twins, 'cause Andy's been my seatmate since day one." And my parking spot was next to Andy, day one, 'cause I noticed it because I used to see these dents in my car. And one day Andy parked so close to the car, I couldn't get out. I'm stuck and I'm sliding through the car trying to get out. It's been twenty-four years, Andy, that you've been in this august Body as a staffer, as the Chief of Staff, as a Senator, as a leader amongst our Appropriation, but more importantly to me, as a friend. Sitting next to you, the knowledge that you know, the conversations that we've had, it's been -- it's been my pleasure. And a lot of times we look across this room and we say "friend", "colleague", and "my dear buddy", Andy is someone that, even us being both Democrat, we may not agree on everything, but when you need him, he's going to be there. And he's always given me sound advice, although I didn't take 'em all. But we've had really good, spirited conversations and talks that led me to be a better person. And I hope he feels the same about the experiences that we've shared. One of the more important things that I -- I respect about Senator Manar is what was said earlier about the time he spends with his family. Me, I have -- we have the same makeup, two boys and a girl, and I have the same. And to see how he interacts with his two sons when they come down, it's refreshing, because I -- I -- I think back to my boys and how 48  STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 1st Legislative Day 1/13/2021 close I am to my sons. A lot of you don't know it, but on many days for the last - what have we been here? - eight years, I drive home probably every night to -- for my sons' games and come back. It's important to me because I can't get these years back. They're only going to be eight one time. They're only going to be nine one time. I'm going to look up in a couple years, they're going to be in high school and graduating. And it's important to me to set the example of what a man is in their lives. And I thank you, Andy, for doing that with your boys, 'cause it's really not just inspiring, but it's respected. And I think sometimes we can let work consume us, where we don't really get the breadth of family. And -- and Senator McClure mentioned about debating and -- and having civility among debating. I respect that. I -- I think that's important. And Senator Manar's always shown that. He's shown the right temperament to be a leader. He's shown that he has the restaint to -- to construct an argument in a way that causes you to think and use intellect versus anger. And that's something that I'm still learning, 'cause I'm a -- I'm a bit passionate at times, but yet respectful. I think everyone's opinions matter. And I think, at times, you have to voice your opinion and sometimes have tough and uncomfortable conversations. And as I look at Senator Manar, it's bittersweet. It really is, 'cause I enjoyed you being my seatmate and my friend. But I also know that you have other things and better things among the horizon. So in closing, best of luck to you. I know where you'll be. I have your phone number. We're friends. And best of luck. Thank you.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Thank you, Senator. Further discussion? Senator Rezin, for 49  STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 1st Legislative Day 1/13/2021 what purpose do you rise?

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) To the resolution, Senator.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Thank you, Senator. Senator Crowe, for what purpose do you rise?

To the resolution, Madam President.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) To the resolution. 50  STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 1st Legislative Day 1/13/2021

Thank you. Senator Manar, I rise to show my appreciation today to you for all the work you've done for this Body and for our State. We have all been a bit spoiled, I would say, to have your knowledge so readily available to us. And we're going to miss that. I thank you for being a mentor to me, and my friend, and for truly being a trailblazer in the downstate Democratic Party. Your absence will be felt. I'm hopeful that in your new role you're going to have more time with your family, but I'm also grateful that you're not going very far. I wish you luck and God bless you and your family.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Thank you. Senator Collins, for what purpose do you rise?

Thank you, Madam President. To the resolution.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) To the resolution, Senator.

If I were to reflect on the Andy that I've had the blessing to work with, I would like to speak to the measure of the man. Andy is a man of character, honesty, and heart; a man of courage, willing to take hard votes to help his colleagues even when he knows it would make him vulnerable as a target; a man of commitment to the values and convictions of his community; a husband, a father - a devoted and dedicated husband and father and son of Illinois; and a man blessed with a generosity of spirit that embodies the essence of public service. Public service is a noble calling that requires the best of our talents, fairness, commitment, decisiveness, compassion, courage, humility, integrity, and 51  STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 1st Legislative Day 1/13/2021 character. Those are the qualities that define Andy Manar. And I wish you the best, Andy, as you move forward to what I know will be a very promising career. Godspeed.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Very nice, Senator. Senator Castro, for what purpose do you rise?

To the resolution, Madam President.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) To the resolution, Senator.

When I first met Andy Manar, I was a member of Edgar Fellows. I remember you coming to present to many of us -- I wasn't in the General Assembly then, but I was an elected county board member, and you and Senator Barickman came to talk about the inequities of education funding. You presented us a comprehensive PowerPoint and -- and you showed where the inequities are hurting not only your district, but mine, as I have the second-largest school district. It got an interest in me to really start to dig into the issue. And when I ran for the General Assembly and won, I remember I sat down with you to talk about that, because it impacts us, but I had a lot of conversations with Tony Sanders, who you've got to know and -- and -- and had many a conversation. Who -- he speaks very highly of you, by the way. And, Andy, what I'm leading -- what I'm kind of getting at is, you have a legacy that will live beyond the hallowed halls of the Senate. It'll live upon decades upon decades as you see children who finally have the same education, whether they're in the north shore to downstate Illinois to the little suburb of Elgin. And I thank you for that. That 52  STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 1st Legislative Day 1/13/2021 was hard. You know, when you leave these hallowed halls, you want to leave a legacy of the policy and the work you do, and you'll see it every day in the young children who have that. But also, to what Jacqui said, to who you are as a person. I remember I could pick your brain on strategy, on different topics. If I was concerned about an issue, you would sit down and take time to go over it to make sure a Member was comfortable with the vote they're about to take. And I appreciate that. I think every Member here who's been here and has served with you, whether it is time as a staffer to the Chief of Staff to now as a Senator, and obviously now, and to the Governor's Office -- I thank you for that time. And we will miss you. And it's -- obviously, I don't like to say good-bye, because we will see each other. I guarantee you, many of us will be calling you as we're trying to navigate some things. But thank you for what you did and the legacy you'll leave for schoolchildren forever. Thank you.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Thank you, Senator. Senator Rose, for what purpose do you rise?

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) To the resolution, Senator.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) 54  STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 1st Legislative Day 1/13/2021 Thanks, Senator. Senator Sims, for what purpose do you rise?

To the resolution, Madam President.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) To the resolution, Senator.

Thank you. Ms. President, all due respect, I think I -- I've got Senator Syverson beat, because I was here when Andy got here. I'm actually -- Andy worked for me on staff. So all that budget knowledge that everybody takes {sic} credit for, I taught him that. But, seriously, you know, Andy, you know, I -- I -- I -- I joke, and Andy and I joke often about some of the nights when -- when I was Appropriations Director and I would keep the staff here late, going through budgets and going through analyses and doing all the work that we did on the -- during the Appropriations process, and I -- I would just -- I remember walking by Andy's office and I'd give him some drafts back on one of his analyses and he'd have this look on his face, like -- when I showed up at his door, like, "Are you here again?" But it -- he -- but he -- but he always -- to that -- the -- the -- the dedication that we talk about, he always worked hard to make sure that we put the best product out in front of the Members. We were dedicated, and he was dedicated to making sure Members always had the information that they needed to make sound decisions, removing ourselves from the process so that we made -- we made them better. And he carried that over to when you became a public servant. And we -- we end up running for office and the -- and the General Assembly at the same time. So -- me in the House and he here in the Senate. And we would share war stories on the campaign trail about things we were seeing and 55  STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 1st Legislative Day 1/13/2021 things that -- that we're going through. And we continued that as we went through the process. And then when I got in -- we both got into the General Assembly, we would work on legislation together, and I -- I saw the -- the dedication continue to grow. The advocacy continue to grow. And one thing that I always appreciated about you, Andy, is you were -- you are an unashamed, unabashed advocate for downstate. And I think your constituents appreciated that. The -- you made the Downstate Caucus stronger for that. We would have discussions in the Downstate Caucus -- and for those of you who are a -- looking a little shocked right now, yes, I am a member of the Downstate Caucus also. But we would have discussions in the Downstate Caucus about issues that were concerning for Members -- for people -- for people downstate. And you were always thoughtful, always forward looking, and always forward thinking, and it made for better policy. We are -- and I -- I -- I -- I've always respected your respect for this institution. Because we recognize that these seats don't belong to us. There will -- people who were -- held them before us. There will be people who hold them after us. But they always belong to the people of Illinois. And I know that you believe that and I know that you -- I know that you -- you feel that in - - in your core. And that is one of your core values and one of your northern stars, and I -- and I've always appreciated that about you. You know, and I -- I remember when you first met your wife and you -- and you started -- and you started dating. And as your family grew and you started -- you -- you -- you -- that -- that -- that commitment that people got to see on the outside was also the commitment -- and you've heard that time and time again here today, because that's just who you are - a -- a -- a centered 56  STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 1st Legislative Day 1/13/2021 individual who is concerned about others. We are -- I -- I -- I said this also about Senator McGuire and I mean this about you also, we are -- this -- this institution is worse off for you leaving it, but it is better for you having served in it. I am so proud to have been your -- to have been -- to serve with you. I -- I -- I'm so proud to be able to call you my friend. And I -- I echo something that Senator Harris said earlier. There may -- if -- if -- if you -- if you are with someone, you're with them. I don't care how difficult or tough. And when you say, "I'm with you", you're there. And I -- and I -- when I -- I never questioned that. When I -- when you gave me your word on something, I knew it was golden and I never questioned that. I know you're going to be not too far away. And I -- and the -- the relationship that we have does not only exist in this building, so I don't -- I don't expect you to be going that far. So I -- I'm -- I want you to know how much we appreciate you for your service here. We will truly miss you. And as -- and don't -- don't -- but as was -- as we always say - once a Senator, always a Senator. So don't be -- don't ever be a stranger. Thank you, Madam President.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Thank you, Senator Sims. President Harmon in the Chair.

Our final two speakers are Minority Leader McConchie and Majority Leader Lightford. Senator McConchie. SENATOR McCONCHIE: To the resolution.

To the resolution, Senator. SENATOR McCONCHIE: 57  STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 1st Legislative Day 1/13/2021 Thank you, Mr. President. When I first arrived in this Chamber, I was appointed shortly after winning a heavily contested three-way primary and -- and came here the very first day as -- on the front row down here and it was a day in which we were nine hours on the Floor. We -- the next day had been canceled and had to be reinstated because of emergency funding that was going to be needed for higher ed. And people who had canceled hotel rooms were -- needed to suddenly find a place to stay. And I hadn't brought clothes. And it was a -- quite a whirlwind of experience. But being tossed into here in the middle of that made it very difficult to try to establish relationships. You don't have that kind of normal uptick, right, that -- that you have. And one of the things that I did to try to help, you know, kind of reach out to people during that time was I sent five-dollar Starbucks gift cards to everyone, saying, you know, we're probably not going to have an opportunity -- that I'd love to have an opportunity to sit down with you, having a cup of coffee, get to know you. You know, probably not going to have that opportunity here in the next few weeks before the end of Session, you know, so have a cup of coffee on me and I look forward to getting to know you. You reached out to me like the next day and said, "I don't know why we can't go ahead and make time." And we made time for coffee, I think the next week, down here. And I really -- it -- it was such a gesture of outreach and of welcoming and of warmth, and -- and that set the tone, I think, for our relationship, to recognize that at -- at the end of the day -- at the beginning of the day, it was -- you -- you were about the people who -- who were there, that you're working with here. And I got to see that really come to -- come -- come clear during school funding reform when we were negotiating 58  STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 1st Legislative Day 1/13/2021 on the -- the sides of that over the weeks and weeks and weeks of that summer. Got to know each other very well. We spent a lot of time in this building that was otherwise empty except for us, traipsing back and forth and trying to keep certain people from getting too out of hand. But it -- it was -- it was -- it was, I think, that cup of coffee that, you know, you invited me to in the first place that helped establish that groundwork that got us off to a faster start at school funding reform than we probably would have otherwise had. And that, I think, just taught me a really important lesson that while you can get into a room perhaps with somebody you don't know and negotiate and -- and get into the specifics of -- of what it is that you're talking about, you're going to be more effective at it if you have a preexisting relationship with that person that's personal, where you care about each other, you -- you demonstrate an interest in -- in each other's lives. You have always done that. And I know that as -- in your next role as you're going into, you're carrying those best qualities with you, which will help you to be the -- the degree of success -- have the degree of success that you will need to have in that and really help you to shine. So I -- I just want to thank you for your sharing that part of you with me, as, you know, I know -- I know it wasn't special, you do that to everybody, but it -- it is an important lesson to those of us who watch you to kind of understand what I think is really important right now, which is how to treat other people even when you don't agree on something or even when it's -- emotions are running high. There's a way that we can treat each other with dignity and respect and care, and even friendship and love, that will help us get much faster down the road to resolution to our -- things that divide us than 59  STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 1st Legislative Day 1/13/2021 any other method, especially those that seem to be most popular out there today. Thank you.

Our final speaker, Senator Lightford.

Thank you, Mr. President. So, Senator, there was so much good that was just said about you and it's almost like I could just ditto Jacqui, ditto Elgie, ditto Mattie, and ditto so many others. But I just wanted to start with the relationship with Vince Demuzio, because it was something about how we connected in the space of Vince and it was like he was working. When I first arrived here, Vince was known as the Dean of the Senate and you were on staff. And I was told if I wanted to become good in something - and I selected education - I was told to go see Vince Demuzio. And when I went to see Vince Demuzio, I saw Andy Manar. And Vince Demuzio was the first person to embrace me. And you would think this young Black girl from Proviso and Chicago would have no connection to a big jolly, spirited white guy from Macoupin County, but that's where I got my support from. And when I first had my child, I came back from spring break -- and, women, you know how this is going, some of you guys too, your wives are carrying babies and you can't -- she's not showing at all and then she wakes up the next day and the baby's there. That happened to me. I left here for one week for spring break, no one knew I was carrying a child; I came back, I was really pregnant. And I walked into the Senate Education Committee and I sat down and I said, "Hi, Vince." He said, "Hi! Did you have a good spring break?" I said, "I did." He said, "Oh, I can tell." And I said, "Yeah, Vince, I'm expecting my first child. I'm so excited." He said, 60  STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 1st Legislative Day 1/13/2021 "Then that child is my god-grandchild. I'm the godfather." And it just blew my mind that this white guy would be willing to be my child's god-grandfather. And you were there all along. But I didn't get a chance to know Andy Manar yet - just to know him. But you were there all along. And then that just kind of escalated to you becoming the Chief of Staff for John Cullerton. And then I got to see you moving and shaking, and -- and -- and Vince was no longer with us, but I saw Vince. I saw everything that he instilled in you, you took it to the next level of leadership. You took it to the next level of statesmanship. You took it to the next level of integrity. You took it to the next level of truth, and that's where we connected. When you said as -- becoming a Senator, you said, "Senator Lightford, what do you think about us fixing this funding system? James Meeks tried and it didn't go anywhere. I've got some stuff. What do you think?" I said, "Oh, I'd love to do that. I'd love that." I'd taken sick. That's the only time I've missed work here. I had surgery and I was out for eight weeks. I'll never forget it. When I came back, you had moved that ball so far down the court. There was a active committee working. You were dead spot on. And you were able to tell the truth that I could not get any other downstate Senator to acknowledge - that there was disparities, inequities in Caucasian children in rural Illinois. You're the only person that would stand up in caucus and say, "Our children need it too." That we have a classroom inside of the - what is it? - the cafeteria, in your lunchroom. No one else would say that. And I'm not going to drop any other Senators names, but I'd gone to downstate Members and said, "Hey, help me on this, because look where your school district sits. You need help more than I do." And none of 'em 61  STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 1st Legislative Day 1/13/2021 would take the flag or the mantle and say, "Okay, Senator Lightford, I'll join you. I'll help you." But you did that. You stood up for those children. You stood up for those poor children and you're still doing it now, and I don't think for one moment that you're not going to do it on the second floor. And then I look at you with your wife. You always say, "My wife, Trista. My…". I say she's a diva, because you're concerned about your wife's opinion about you. And I love that in a man. Should always put his wife and his children first, and I see you do that and you've done that your entire time here. And then, you believed in me. You believed in me. And I hadn't had anyone believe in me like you did, other than Vince Demuzio. So that Macoupin County- Maywood connection, never thought it would be that it would be you, Andy Manar, that I would have that kinship with. I look at you as a brother. I thought you was all stiff, but then I found out you had a sense of humor. You stayed with me. You supported me. You could have turned at any time. And I just thank you from the bottom of my heart for that. And then, lastly, I was saddened to hear that you were leaving. I was actually upset with you. I felt like you was going too soon. That there's so much more work you could do. I've been in your district with you - at your high school, at your preschool, in Decatur at church. I've been all over your district with you. I've been without you, but I say, "Hey, Andy, I'm in your district." And then I always knew what you needed in your district, because you're not afraid to talk about the east side. I never heard any other legislator preceding you talked {sic} about the low-income east side and the Black people that need help in Springfield and Decatur. But you did. And you asked me to help you with them. And I did, and I'll 62  STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 1st Legislative Day 1/13/2021 continue to look out for them. And I'll continue to call on you from the second floor to do so. And then, lastly, I'm just going to say, I love you, Andy Manar, as a brother and a friend. And I'll just leave it right there. Take care.

The question is, shall Senate Resolution 5 pass. All those in favor, say Aye. Opposed, Nay. The Ayes have it, and the resolution is adopted. Senator Manar.

Thank you, Mr. President. I know the hour is late and fatigue set in a while ago, so I will be brief, but I want to be complete. And I'm going to start first, Mr. President, with your kind words and your friendship over the years, which began two decades ago, nearly. And I appreciate what you said and I appreciate your counsel through my transition, which was, I would admit, was close to happening before this. But, nonetheless, I've learned over the years in the Senate that things take twists and turns that you could never anticipate, and such is the case with this. So, Mr. President, thank you very much. Leader Lightford, I'm going to get to you in a moment, but I also want to acknowledge I've worked for some really good people in this building over the course of many years. President Jones and Minority Leader Jones. I was first hired on staff when the Democrats were -- were in the minority, which was many years ago, and then, of course, for President Jones when he became the Senate President. And then, of course, for President Cullerton, which many of -- many of you served under. I will tell a brief story. When he asked me to be his Chief of Staff, I actually told him no, first. My answer was, No. I was planning to go teach at a community college. And we 63  STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 1st Legislative Day 1/13/2021 all know that John Cullerton doesn't take no for an answer when he has his mind made up. So he was persuasive and changed my mind. And that thrust me into the role of being a chief of staff. Along the way, I've -- I've worked for and even with, which is even a greater privilege, people like Senator Trotter, who was the first chair of the committee that I worked for, and for Elgie Sims, who was my first boss, who probably could have fired me on any number of occasions, but he didn't. And then, of course, for -- for Kimberly. And for Leader Lightford, whose friendship goes back long before, long before I ever thought I would ever step foot in this Chamber to be a Member. And I knew, I knew then, sitting in Vince's office, which was over in 309, when you arrived, Kimberly, that there was that connection. And I'm proud that that connection has served not me as an individual or you as an individual over the years, but the people that we collectively represent over the years - and along the way a friend was made. And I think that's one of the best things that I take away from -- from this place as I exit it later this week. So thank you so much for your friendship and your guidance and your support and everything that you have meant to me over the years. You know, the idea that -- that -- that -- that I could serve here is still a little bizarre to me, even after eight years, because my first day I stepped foot in the Capitol, I was actually testifying to the Appropriations Committee, believe it or not. I was a freshman in college and Senator Rauschenberger was the chair of the committee. And I was a nervous wreck. I was sweating profusely and I sat at that same table in 212 and testified on behalf of the Golden Apple Foundation, which paid for my college because, frankly, my family couldn't afford it, and I went to Chicago to teach to help earn 64  STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 1st Legislative Day 1/13/2021 some money to get through college. And I came to this building - the first time I'd ever been in this building - it was amazing to me, being from a small town that isn't too far south, but it was just a different world. And to -- to know that I sat at that table to testify only later to -- to, of course, serve and -- and chair the committee and -- from which I testified in front of, is -- is just a bizarre proposition to me that that would ever happen. My second day in the Capitol, second time, was years later when I was tagging along with -- with Senator Vince Demuzio and other Members when Governor Edgar called a Joint Session of the House and the Senate when he demanded the change in school funding. And Senator Demuzio asked me if I wanted to accompany him to this historic event in the House Chamber, where -- where Governor Edgar was going to outline his plan to end inequity. And I sat between him and Penny Severns from Decatur, and years later, the district that I have the privilege of representing was -- was half of his and half of -- half of Penny's. But those were my first two steps in -- into the Capitol. It goes without saying that -- and I'm -- I'm -- I'm humbled that so many of you mentioned my family - because I probably talk about them too much - but they are my rock. They have helped -- helped guide me through this, just like each of your families do. My children have not known anything other than this for their entire lives. My -- my wife Trista, we met when I was on the budget staff and I was the mayor of my hometown. So she's never {sic} known me as an elected official. Well, guess what, next Monday will be the first time that has -- that has ever happened. So I hope all things go well on Monday. But it'll be a change for them, and I think for them, hopefully, it'll be a little more normalcy. Not that the job is going to be easy, 65  STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 1st Legislative Day 1/13/2021 because it isn't, but it'll be different for them and we're looking forward to that. I will leave you all with this, which is not a reflection of the past so much as it is a challenge from me as I leave this Chamber to each of you and I guess a proposition for the future and what this institution means to us as individuals and a State as a collective Body of people, because it's important what we do here in the State Senate. I've seen it over the years, I've witnessed it with my own eyes, where democracy functions when a diverse group of people from wildly different backgrounds sit in this room and solve problems. When democracy functions, we can solve problems, and this is the place where I have seen that happen time and again - not without struggle; struggle along the way, every step of the way. But struggle produces that result that we seek when we declare ourselves candidates and put ourselves out there to say that we think we have something that we can offer to fix something in the world around us. And to -- today to say that -- that that is under siege would be an understatement. So preserve this. I am challenging you to preserve it. Preserve what happens in this Chamber so that you can continue to solve problems for the people of the State. You know, reject the notions that -- that institutions fail - because this institution doesn't fail. And I've seen it over the course of my lifetime succeed over and over and over when we work together. Preserve this institution and what it means. That's my challenge for you. This has been an incredible privilege for me. After my first day, I walked over there and had a conversation with Bernie Schoenburg at the State Journal-Register and he said, "How does it feel to be a Member after having been on staff?" And what came out of my mouth was, "It's an incredible privilege." And after eight years of ups 66  STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 1st Legislative Day 1/13/2021 and downs and tough votes and three very, very challenging campaigns, where we increased our margin of victory - I just have to say that - all three times, it's still an incredible privilege and it has been my honor to be here. So, again, thank you all for your kind words. I -- I appreciate you sticking around after a - - a very challenging set of days for us as a Chamber. It means a lot to me. And I won't be far. And it has been my honor to serve with you. And, Mr. President, thank you very much.

Mr. Secretary, Communications.

Mr. Secretary, Resolutions.

On the Order of Resolutions is Senate Joint Resolution No. 1. Mr. Secretary, please the resolution.

Senator Manar moves to suspend all rules for the immediate 67  STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 1st Legislative Day 1/13/2021 consideration of Senate Joint Resolution 1. All those in favor will say Aye. Opposed, Nay. The Ayes have it, and the rules are suspended. Senator Manar now moves for the adoption of Senate Joint Resolution 1. All those in favor will say Aye. Opposed, Nay. The Ayes have it, and the resolution is adopted. Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate, we have concluded our work for the day. This has been a long, productive, and wearing week. I thank you for your work and your patience. We are going to cancel the regular Session day tomorrow to allow you to travel home if you wish and you are awake enough to do so. The Senate Dems, at least, will be doing their administrative business tomorrow in terms of selecting offices and seats on the Floor. This can be done remotely and staff will be reaching out to you to arrange the details. So we will adjourn today, we will cancel tomorrow, and we will be -- make preparations for a safe return to the Capitol. There being no further business to come before the Senate, pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1, the Senate stands adjourned until the hour of 12 noon on the 26th day of January 2021, or until the call of the Senate President. The Senate stands adjourned. 68